Books like The Romans, from village to empire by Mary Taliaferro Boatwright

The Romans traces the remarkable transformation of Rome from its earliest days as a modest village into the monarchical state, the republican era, and ultimately the imperial system ruled by emperors whose authority at its zenith spanned from Scotland to Iraq and the Nile Valley. Drawing on a wide range of ancient literary and material sources, the book analyses significant political and military events, including the Punic Wars, Julius Caesar’s conquest of Gaul and crossing of the Rubicon, Octavian’s victory over Mark Antony, and Constantine’s conversion to Christianity. It profiles key historical personalities such as Hannibal, Mithridates, Pompey, Cicero, Cleopatra, Augustus, Livia, Nero, Marcus Aurelius, and Shapur, and examines Roman cultural and social life—from the roles of women and literature to entertainment, urban planning, portraiture, and religion. The work is supplemented by more than thirty maps.

First publish date: 2004